Unit building

ABSTRACT

A unit building  1  comprising a building unit  20  having a Rahmen construction including a column  21  and beam  23  rigid-connected to each other and fixed to a base  10 , wherein a column foot of a building unit  20  is rigid-connected to a base  10 , and a diagonal member  101  is provided between the column foot of the building unit  20  and a middle portion of a ceiling beam  23.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a unit building.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In a unit building, a column foot of a building unit, which has aframed construction built of a column and a beam by welding, ispin-connected to a base, as is disclosed in the Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 8-302823 (JP-A)(see page 3, FIG. 2).

[0005] Further, a trapezoidal reinforcing frame can be provided betweena ceiling beam and a floor beam of a building unit, which has a Rahmenconstruction built of a column and a beam by rigid connection, toincrease the frame rigidity of the building unit, as is disclosed in theJP-A No. 8-199689.

[0006] Yet further, a plate can be provided between a floor beam of anupper floor unit and a ceiling beam of a lower floor unit of a unitbuilding so as to be fastened together with the beams thereof by a boltintending to prevent deflection of the floor, as is disclosed in theJapan Utility Model Application Publication (JP-Y) No. 51-45847.

[0007] Still further, webs can be provided respectively in the middle ofa floor beam of an upper floor unit and a ceiling beam of a lower floorunit of a unit building so as to be joined together through a joiningplate intending to increase the rigidity of the floor beam as well asthe ceiling beam, as is disclosed in Japan Patent No. 3330409.

[0008] Still further, with regard to a connecting structure of a unitbuilding, adjacent pipe columns, which are provided in adjacent buildingunits respectively, can be connected across a gap between the buildingunits, as is disclosed in the JP-A No. 06-49911. The connectingstructure referred to JP-A 6-49911 comprises a first nut member providedin one of the pipe columns, a second nut member provided opposing thefirst nut in the other pipe column, a threaded member to fasten both thenut members inside a gap between both the pipe columns, and a spacer ina round pipe shape, which spacer is placed to cover over the threadedmember inside the gap between both the pipe columns.

[0009] Still further, a unit building which is capable of providing awide continuous space eliminating a column is disclosed in the JapanPatent No. 3260266. According to the patent, firstly, the respectivepredetermined column-eliminated corner portions of adjacent buildingunits are disposed abuttingly to each other at a column-eliminatedconnection portion. Next, a reinforcing beam is laid on ceiling beamsides from one of the building units to the other building unit. Then,the construction is completed by connecting one end portion of thereinforcing beam to a column of one of the building units and byconnecting the other end portion of the reinforcing beam to a column ofthe other building unit.

[0010] With regard to JP-A 8-302823, since the rigidity of a beam is notsufficient, a column foot rotates with respect to its base and thehorizontal rigidity is not improved even though the cross section of acolumn would be strengthened. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to addan inner column inside a wall or to add a horizontal brace inside aceiling. These requirements restrain the planning of a building andincrease the building cost.

[0011] With regard to JP-A 8-199689, it teaches to provide a trapezoidalreinforcing frame between a ceiling beam and a floor beam of a buildingunit. However, the reinforcing frame has such a complicated structurethat a diagonal member is connected to both ends of a horizontal member.In addition, a horizontal member of the reinforcing frame overlaps aceiling beam of the building unit.

[0012] With regard to the JP-Y 51-45847 and JP 3330409, these referencesdisclose nothing more than connecting an upper and a lower beam (a floorbeam and a ceiling beam) to each other at their middle portions.Therefore, in these references there is no rational consideration forimproving the proof strength against a vertical load by means ofincreasing the rigidity of two beams, or improving the proof strengthagainst a horizontal load by means of increasing the rigidity of a frameof a building unit.

[0013] In addition, the connecting structure disclosed in JP-A 06-49911has the following problems.

[0014] (1) In the manufacturing of a building unit, it is required toattach a first nut member to a pipe column of one of adjacent buildingunits by welding and to fix a threaded member protrudingly to the firstnut member. This causes decreased productivity during manufacturing andinconvenience in the handling of a unit building during transportationand stock.

[0015] (2) At a building site, it is required to fix a spacer over athreaded member of one of building units before placing the other unitbuilding into an adjacent position to the first one. This makes theinstallation of unit buildings inconvenient.

[0016] (3) It is required to handle a spanner, which is a tool forscrewing a second nut member onto a threaded member, within a gapbetween both pipe columns of adjacent building units. In addition tothis, the spanner has to be inserted through a window provided in aspacer toward a second nut member. These makes the handling of nutmembers difficult.

[0017] In addition, the conventional art of JP 3260266 includes thefollowing problems.

[0018] (1) When a reinforcing beam is provided additionally to a ceilingbeam, which is disposed intersectingly at a column-eliminated cornerportion in a same plane including column-eliminated connection portionsof both building units, the reinforcing beam should be a long beamextending from one of building units to the other of the same. Thismakes the management of materials and the construction difficult.

[0019] (2) Since the reinforcing beam is provided in the outside of aceiling beam, an excess space is required for the reinforcing beam inthe peripheries of both building units. When an additional building unitis placed adjacent to both existing building units, a wide gap betweenthe additional unit and the existing building units is required foraccommodating the reinforcing beam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0020] An object of the present invention is to improve the horizontalrigidity of a unit building.

[0021] Another object of the invention is to improve the verticalrigidity of a unit building.

[0022] Still another object of the invention is to simply recover thereduction in the strength of a unit building, which is due to theelimination of a column for making a wide and continuous space.

[0023] According to the present invention, there is provided a unitbuilding comprising a building unit fixed to a base, the building unithaving a Rahmen construction having a column and a beam rigid-connectedto each other. A column foot of the unit building is rigid-connected tothe base, and a diagonal member is provided between the column foot ofthe building unit and a middle portion of a ceiling beam or between acolumn capital and a middle portion of a floor beam.

[0024] According to the present invention, there is provided a unitbuilding comprising building units fixed to a base, the building unithaving columns, floor beams and ceiling beams connected to each other. Acolumn foot of the building unit is rigid-connected to the base. Arespective predetermined column-eliminated corner portions of aplurality of adjacent building units are disposed adjacently to eachother at a column-eliminated connection portion. Ceiling beams are madeto a joint ceiling beam, the ceiling beams being disposed in a sameplane including the column-eliminated connection portions of theadjacent building units and intersecting at the column-eliminated cornerportion. The opposed joint ceiling beams are connected to each other ata column-eliminated connection portion of the adjacent building units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will be more fully understood from thedetailed description given below and from the accompanying drawingswhich should not be taken to be a limitation on the invention, but arefor explanation and understanding only.

[0026]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a unit building;

[0027]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective diagram showing a unit building;

[0028]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a building unit;

[0029]FIG. 4 is schematic front view showing an example of a buildingunit which has construction method I applied thereto;

[0030]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a structureof the construction method I;

[0031]FIG. 6 is schematic front view showing an example of a unitbuilding which has construction method II applied thereto;

[0032]FIGS. 7A and 7B show an example of a structure according to theconstruction method II, where FIG. 7A is a front view, and FIG. 7B is across-sectional view;

[0033]FIGS. 8A to 8C show a strengthening principle of the rigidity of abeam according to the construction method II, where FIG. 8A is aschematic view showing a deformation state of a beam, FIG. 8B is aschematic view of a unit model of a beam, and FIG. 8C is schematic viewof a model of a Rahmen construction;

[0034]FIGS. 9A and 9B show a strengthening principle of the rigidity ofa unit frame according to the construction method II, where FIG. 9A is aschematic view of a deformation state of a beam, FIG. 9B is a schematicview of a model of a Rahmen construction;

[0035]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an example of a connectionstructure of adjacent building units according to the constructionmethod III;

[0036]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the details of a part ofthe connection structure of FIG. 10;

[0037]FIGS. 12A to 12D are schematic views showing examples ofconnection between building units;

[0038]FIGS. 13A and 13B show a modified embodiment of the constructionmethod III, where FIG. 13A is a plan view of a connection portion of alower floor building unit, and FIG. 13B is a section view taken along aline B-B in FIG. 13A;

[0039]FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a holed spacer;

[0040]FIGS. 15A and 15B are modified embodiment of the constructionmethod III, where FIG. 15A is a plan view of a connection portion of alower floor building unit, and FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view takenalong a line B-B in FIG. 15A;

[0041]FIGS. 16A and 16B are modified embodiments of the constructionmethod III, where FIG. 16A is a plan view of a connection portion of alower floor building unit, and FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view takenalong a line B-B in FIG. 16A;

[0042]FIGS. 17A and 17B show an example of a building unit which hasconstruction method IV applied thereto, where FIG. 17A is a plan view ofa lowest floor building unit, and FIG. 17B is a plan view of an upperfloor building unit;

[0043]FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing a strengthening principle ofthe rigidity of a frame according to the construction method IV;

[0044]FIG. 19 is a schematic view of an example of strengthening of therigidity of a frame according to the construction method IV;

[0045]FIG. 20 is a plan view showing an example of fixing a diagonalmember according to the construction method IV;

[0046]FIGS. 21A and 21B show a fixed portion of a lower end of adiagonal member, where FIG. 21A is a plan view, and FIG. 21B is across-sectional view;

[0047]FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of a middle portion of a ceilingbeam, to which an upper end of a diagonal member is fixed;

[0048]FIGS. 23A to 23C show a unit building of an embodiment accordingto the construction method V, where FIG. 23A is a schematic plan viewbefore the reinforcement by means of a joint ceiling beam,

[0049]FIG. 23B is a schematic plan view after the reinforcement by meansof a joint ceiling beam, and FIG. 23C is a schematic side view of FIG.23B;

[0050]FIG. 24 is plan view showing a connected state of both buildingunits;

[0051]FIGS. 25A and 25B show a unit building of an embodiment accordingto the construction method V, where FIG. 25A is a schematic plan viewbefore the reinforcement by means of a joint ceiling beam, and FIG. 25Bis a schematic plan view after the reinforcement by means of a jointceiling beam;

[0052]FIGS. 26A and 26B show a unit building of an embodiment accordingto the construction method V, where FIG. 26A is a schematic plan viewbefore the reinforcement by means of a joint ceiling beam, and FIG. 26Bis a schematic plan view after the reinforcement by means of a jointceiling beam;

[0053]FIG. 27 is a plan view showing a connected state of building unitsof an embodiment according to the construction method V;

[0054]FIG. 28 is a side view of FIG. 27;

[0055]FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a guide collar which is used forthe construction method V;

[0056]FIG. 30 is a perspective view of an attachment which is used forthe construction method V;

[0057]FIGS. 31A to 31F are schematic views showing fitting steps of aguide collar in the construction method V;

[0058]FIGS. 32A to 32E are schematic views showing removing steps of aguide collar in the construction method V;

[0059]FIG. 33 is schematic plan view of a unit building of a modifiedembodiment according to the construction method I;

[0060]FIGS. 34A and 34B show building units, where FIG. 34A is a sideview, and FIG. 34B is a schematic view;

[0061]FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view showing a column and a floorbeam of a building unit;

[0062]FIGS. 36A and 36B show connection structures to a base of abuilding unit, where FIG. 36A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view,and FIG. 36B is a plan view;

[0063]FIG. 37 is a plan view showing a horizontal connection structureof adjacent building units;

[0064]FIGS. 38A and 38B show connection structures between a column footand a core of a building unit, where FIG. 38A is a cross-sectional viewof a connection portion along a beam direction, and FIG. 38B is across-sectional view of connection portion along a gable direction;

[0065]FIG. 39 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing aconnection structure at a base of a building unit of a modifiedembodiment according to the construction method I;

[0066]FIGS. 40A and 40B show connection structures between a column footand a core of a building unit, where FIG. 40A is a longitudinalcross-sectional view, and FIG. 40B is a plan view;

[0067]FIGS. 41A and 41B show a core, where FIG. 41A is a longitudinalcross-sectional view, and FIG. 41B is a plan view;

[0068]FIG. 42 is a plan view showing a base connection portion of abuilding unit of a modified embodiment according to the constructionmethod I;

[0069]FIG. 43 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing aconnection structure to a base of a building unit of a modifiedembodiment according to Connection method I;

[0070]FIGS. 44A and 44b show a base construction, where FIG. 44A is aplan view, and FIG. 44B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view;

[0071]FIG. 45 is a plan view showing modified embodiments of a baseconnection portion of a building unit;

[0072]FIGS. 46A and 46B show base constructions, and FIG. 46A is a planview, and FIG. 46B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view;

[0073]FIG. 47 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of a baseconnection portion of a building unit;

[0074]FIG. 48 is a plan view showing a base construction;

[0075]FIG. 49 is a plan view showing a modified embodiment of a baseconnection portion of a building unit;

[0076]FIG. 50 is a plan view showing a base construction;

[0077]FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view showing a guide pin;

[0078]FIG. 52 is a perspective view showing connection steps of a columnfoot into a base;

[0079]FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified embodiment ofa guide pin;

[0080]FIG. 54 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a baseconnection structure of a building unit of a modified embodimentaccording to the construction method I; and

[0081]FIG. 55 is a chart showing a priority of applying the constructionmethods I to IV to a unit building.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0082] A unit building 1 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is constructed to have alowest floor building 20 supported on a base 10, and upper floorbuilding units 30, 40 mounted on the lowest floor unit 20 in order.

[0083] Namely, the unit building 1 is constructed by placing a pluralityof building units 20, 30, 40 adjacently in a horizontal direction aswell as a vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the building unit 20(also building unit 30, 40) has a framework construction which isconstructed by connecting a pipe column 21 of a square steel, a floorbeam 22 of a structural steel, and a ceiling beam 23 of a structuralsteel each other into a box shape. The building unit 20 is built byfixing the floor beam 22 by welding to a lower end of the pipe column 21via a joint piece 22J, and by fixing the ceiling beam 23 by welding toan upper end of the pipe column 21 via a joint piece 23J. The floor beam22 can be eliminated from the building unit 20.

[0084] The unit building 1 can be constructed as a multiple-story, suchas-3-story, building by stacking a plurality of building units 20 in avertical direction. In addition, the unit building 1 can be constructedas a column-eliminated unit building, wherein a column-eliminatedbuilding unit is constructed by making a column-eliminated cornerportion of at least one of corner portions of the building unit 20,connecting a plurality of the column-eliminated building unitsadjacently, and the column-eliminated corner portions of the respectivecolumn-eliminated building units are connected to each other abuttinglyto form a column-eliminated connection portion.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a base 10 is formed by supportinga base construction 13 made of a steel on a mat foundation 11 made ofconcrete by using anchor bolts 12. The lowest floor building unit 20 issupported on this base construction 13.

[0086] The lowest floor building unit 20 is formed by eliminating thefloor beam 22. It has a Rahmen construction, which is constructed insuch a manner as ceiling beams 23 of a structural steel are laid overfour pipe columns 21 of a square steel pipe, and the ends of the ceilingbeams 23 are rigid-connected to the upper ends of columns 21. A jointpiece 23J (FIGS. 7A and 7B) is welded to an upper end of the column 21,and an end of the ceiling beam 23 is welding to the joint piece 23J.Note that the lowest floor unit 20 can be provided additionally with afloor beam 22 of a structural steel, which floor beam is laid over thelower ends of the column 21. An end of the floor beam 23 nay berigid-connected to the lower end of the column 21.

[0087] The upper floor unit 30 (same with 40) has a Rahmen construction,wherein a ceiling beam 33 (43) of a structural steel is laid over theupper ends of four pipe columns 31 (41) of a square steel, and an end ofthe ceiling beam 33 is rigid-connected to the upper end of the column31, and in addition, a floor beam 32 (42) of a structural steel is laidover the lower ends of the column 31, and the end of the floor beam 32is rigid-connected to the lower end of the column 31. Joint pieces 33J(not shown) and 32J (FIGS. 7A and 7B) are welded to the upper and lowerends of the column 31 respectively, and the ends of the ceiling beam 33and floor beam 32 are welded to the joint pieces 33J and 32J,respectively.

[0088] In the unit building 1, the ceiling beam 23 of the lowest floorbuilding unit 20 and the floor beam 32 of the upper floor building unit30 are stacked together vertically between the lowest floor buildingunit 20 and the upper floor building unit 30, and the ceiling beam 33 ofthe upper floor building unit 30 and the floor beam 42 of the upperfloor building unit 40 are stacked together vertically between the upperfloor building unit 30 and the upper floor building unit 40.

[0089] The construction methods I, II, III, IV, and V for strengtheningthe rigidity are applied to the unit building 1.

[0090] The construction method I is a rigid connection structure betweena base and a column,

[0091] the construction method II is a connection structure betweenupper and lower beams,

[0092] the construction method III is a connection structure betweenadjacent columns,

[0093] the construction method IV is a reinforcing structure with adiagonal member,

[0094] the construction method V is a column-eliminated reinforcingstructure.

[0095] (Construction Method I: Connection Structure Between a Base and aColumn) (FIG. 4, FIG. 5)

[0096] The construction method 1 is applied between the base 10 and thelowest floor building unit 20 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2). According to this, thecolumn 21 and the column foot 21F of the column 21 of the lowest floorbuilding unit 20 can be connected to the base 10 not to shift to eachother substantially (FIG. 4).

[0097] As shown in FIG. 5, the base 10 comprises a base construction 13and a mounting piece 14 which is fixed to the upper end of the baseconstruction 13 by welding. A mounting piece 24, which is fixed to thecolumn foot 21F of the lowest building unit 20 by welding, is connectedto the mounting piece 14 with a high strength bolt 15 so as not to shiftwith respect to each other substantially.

[0098] According to the construction method I, in a unit building 1, thecolumn foot 21F can be prevented from rotating with respect to the base10 due to the connection of the column 21F of the lowest floor buildingunit 20 to the base 10 so as not to shift with respect to each othersubstantially. As a result, the horizontal rigidity of the building unit20 can be improved. In addition, by virtue of the construction method I,it is not required to strengthen the cross section of the column 21, norto add an inner column or a horizontal brace in order to improve thehorizontal rigidly of the building unit. As a result, the degree offreedom for planning of the building unit 20 can be widened, and themanufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0099] (Construction Method II: Connection Structure Between Upper andLower Beams) (FIG. 6 to FIG. 9B)

[0100] The construction method II is applied between the ceiling beam 23of the lowest building unit 20 and the floor beam 32 of the upperbuilding unit 30 and/or the ceiling beam 33 of the upper building unit30 and the floor beam 42 of the upper building unit 40 (FIG. 1 and FIG.2). Hereunder, the application of the construction method II between theceiling beam 23 of the lowest building unit 20 and the floor beam 32 ofthe upper building unit 30 will be described.

[0101] In order to increase the rigidity of the beam 23 of the lowestfloor building unit 20 and the floor beam 32 of the upper floor buildingunit 30 with respect to a vertical load (floor load), the respectiveends of the ceiling beam 23 are rigid-connected to the correspondingrespective ends of the floor beam 32 at rigid-connection portion R1 andR2 so as not to shift with respect to each other substantially (FIG. 6).

[0102] In addition, in order to increase the rigidity of frame of thelowest floor building unit 20 and the upper floor building unit 30 withrespect to a horizontal load, in addition to the foregoingrigid-connection portion R1, R2, the middle portions (the centralportions in this embodiment) of respective ceiling beam 23 and floorbeam 32 in the longitudinal direction are rigid-connected at arigid-connection portion R3 so as not to shift with respect to eachother substantially (FIG. 6).

[0103] The rigid-connection portions R1 to R3 can be, as schematicallyshown in FIG. 6, constructed with four wire rods, but also with a plate50 as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The plate 50 is mounted additionallyover a web w of the ceiling beam 23 and a web w of the floor beam 32,and is fastened to the web w of the ceiling beam 23 with two highstrength bolts 51, 51 and to the web w of the floor beam 32 with twohigh strength bolts 52, 52. The plate 50 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B issuch a type as is held between the ceiling beams 23, 22 of the adjacentlowest floor building units 20, 20 and between the floor beams 32, 33 ofthe adjacent upper floor building units 30, 30. However, the plate 50may be such a type as is mounted additionally over one side of theceiling beam 23 and floor beam 32 of the building units 20, 30. Theplate 50 may be of a type which is connected by welding.

[0104] In addition, the plate 50 may be of a type which is mountedadditionally over a flange f of the ceiling beam 23 and a flange f ofthe floor beam 32. The plate of this type can be connected to flange(s)f, f by means of high strength bolt or welding not to shift the ceilingbeam 23 substantially with respect to the floor beam 32.

[0105] According to the construction method II in the unit building 1,since both ends of the vertically stacked two beams 23, 32, each ofwhich is the floor beam 32 of the upper floor building unit 30 and theceiling beam 23 of the lower floor building unit 20, are rigid-connectedat rigid-connection portion R1, R2 so as not to shift with respect toeach other substantially, a phase difference between the respective endsof two beams 23, 32 can be constrained when the beams 23, 32 are forcedto be deformed with curvature under a vertical load (FIG. 8A). Thus, thecombined two beams 23, 32 come to exhibit a cross sectional propertyα(I1+I2) which is larger than a simple sum of the individual crosssectional property I1, I2 (I1+I2) of the respective beams 23, 32. As aresult, the beams are improved in the rigidity, and have a higher proofstrength against a vertical load. Note that there is no need to providea rigid-connection portion R3 for increasing the rigidity of the beamsaccording to the construction method II.

[0106] A single beam model (FIG. 8B), which has only two beams 23, 32,exhibits a proof strength as high as 2.6 times of that of a conventionalmodel. A Rahmen construction model (FIG. 8C), in which the columns 21,31 are rigid-connected to the both ends of two beams 23, 32, exhibits aproof strength as high as 1.3 to 1.4 times of that of a conventionalmodel. Note that, in FIG. 8B and FIG. 8C, a reference character Sprovided between the respective middle portions of the ceiling beam 23and the floor beam 32 represents a spacer to fill a gap generatedbetween the ceiling beam 23 and the floor beam 32. This spacer serves topermit a floor load, which acts on the floor beam 32, to be transmittedto the ceiling beam 23.

[0107] In addition, according to the construction method II, in the unitbuilding 1, the respective both ends of two beams 23, 32, which arestacked vertically, and which are included in the two Rahmenconstructions which consist the floor beam 32 of the upper floorbuilding unit 30 and the ceiling beam 23 of the lower floor buildingunit 20 respectively, are connected at the rigid-connection portions R1,R2 so as not to shift with respect to each other substantially and therespective both middle portions are connected at the rigid-connectionportion R3 so as not to shift with respect to each other substantially.Therefore, when the two beams 23, 32 are forced to deform in the shapeof letter S by a horizontal load P acting on the column 31 of one of thebuilding units 30, the phase differences at both ends of the two beams23, 32, and at the both middle portions thereof are constrained. (FIG.9A). Thus, the building units 20, 30 are improved in their framestrength, and come to have a higher proof strength with respect to ahorizontal load.

[0108] The frame rigidity of the building units 20, 30 according to theinvention is improved to approximately 1.3 times that of a conventionalmodel (FIG. 9B).

[0109] When performing the construction method II, the connection of thefloor beam 32 of the upper floor building unit 30 and the ceiling beam23 of the lower floor building unit 20 for preventing the substantialshift therebetween can be done easily by using the plate 50 which ismounted additionally over the web w of the floor beam 32 and the web wof the ceiling beam 23, or the plate 50 which is mounted additionallyover the flange f of the floor beam 32 and the flange f of the ceilingbeam 23. Note that the plate 50 mounted additionally over the webs w canserve to increase the frame strength of the building units 20, 30 more.

[0110] (Construction method III: Connection Structure Between AdjacentColumns) (FIG. 10 to FIG. 16B)

[0111] The construction method III is applied between the adjacentcolumns 21, 21 of the lowest floor building units 20, 20, between theadjacent columns 31, 31 of the upper floor building units 30, 30 andbetween the adjacent columns 41, 41 of the upper floor building units40, 40. (FIG. 1, FIG. 2)

[0112] However, with regard to the unit building 1 for constructing amultiple-story building or a column-eliminated unit building or thelike, this embodiment relates to the increase of the horizontal rigidityof the unit building 1, wherein the pipe columns 21, 21, which areplaced adjacently making a gap between the adjacent building units 20,20 in the unit building 1 as shown in FIG. 10, are connected to eachother with bolts as described hereunder.

[0113] The adjacent pipe columns 21, 21 of the adjacent building units20, 20 are connected to each other at three positions of the upper end,lower end, and the middle portion as shown in FIG. 11 with bolts. Themethods of the bolt fastening will be described in (1) to (3).

[0114] (1) Bolt holes 61A, 61A are provided coaxially in side walls 21A,21A, which are facing to each other, of the adjacent pipe columns 21, 21of the adjacent building units 20, 20. And in one of the pipe columns21, an operation hole for bolt fitting 61B is provided in a side wall21B, which is in the back of the side wall 21A having the bolt hole 61A,and in the other pipe column 21, an operation hole for nut fitting 61Cis provided in a side wall 21B, which is in the back of the side wall21A having the bolt hole 61A. The bolt holes 61A and 61A have the samediameter, and the operation hole for bolt fitting 61B and the operationhole for nut fitting 61C have also the same diameter.

[0115] (2) The building units 20, 20 are placed adjacently on a matfoundation at a building site. Then, a holed spacer 60 is disposed inthe gap between 21A, 21A coaxially with the bolt holes 61A, 61A, whichhave been provided on the opposed side walls 21A, 21A of the adjacentpipe columns 21, 21.

[0116] (3) A bolt 61, which has been inserted through the operation holefor bolt fitting 61B provided in the side wall 21B of one of the columnpipes 21, is inserted through the bolt holes 61A, 61A in the both pipecolumns 21, 21, and through a bolt hole 60A formed in the holed spacer60, which is provided in the gap between the opposed side walls 21A, 21Aof both pipe columns 21, 21. A nut 62, which has been inserted throughthe operation hole for nut fitting 61C provided in the side wall 21B ofthe other pipe column 21, is screwed on the forgoing bolt 61. The bolt61 is a type of high strength bolt, and particularly a Torshear typehigh strength bolt is employed in this embodiment. A Torshear type toolis inserted through the operation hole for nut fitting 61C and operatedfor screwing the nut 62 on the bolt 61.

[0117] Note that other types of bolt like a high strength hexagonal boltcan be used for the bolt 61.

[0118] The following working-effects are possible according to thepresent embodiment.

[0119] (a) The horizontal rigidity of the unit building 1 constructed ofthe adjacent building units 20, 20 can be improved rationally by meansof bolt connecting of the adjacent pipe columns 21, 21 of both buildingunits 20, 20. Accordingly, the unit building 1 such as a multiple-storybuilding having three stories for example or a column-eliminated unitbuilding can be improved in their strength.

[0120] (b) In a manufacturing site of the building unit 20, there is noneed of additional processes other than providing the bolt hole 61A andthe operation hole for bolt fitting 61B in the pipe column 21 of one ofthe adjacent building units 20 and the bolt hole 61A and the operationhole for nut fitting 61C in the pipe column 21 of the other buildingunit 20. Thus, the productivity can be improved and the handling of thebuilding unit during transportation and stocking can be also improved.

[0121] (c) In a building site, one of the building units 20 can beplaced adjacently to the other building unit 20, and the spacer 60 canbe inserted simply between the side walls 21A, 21A of the adjacent pipecolumns 21, 21 of the building unit 20. Thus, the building units 20 canbe installed more conveniently, and the spacer 60 can be placed easily.

[0122] (d) A tool for fitting the bolt 61 and/or the nut 62 may beoperated through the operation hole for fitting bolt 61B or theoperation hole for nut fitting 61C, both of which are provided in thepipe column 21. This improves the ease of operation.

[0123] (e) The high strength bolt 61 is capable of connecting theadjacent pipe columns 21 of the adjacent building units 20 strongly toeach other, so that the horizontal rigidity of the unit building 1 canbe improved.

[0124] (f) The Torshear type high strength bolt 61 can make thefastening operation of the bolt 61 with the nut 62 easy.

[0125] (g) The adjacent pipe columns 21, 21 of the adjacent buildingunits 20, 20 are bolt connected to each other at a plurality ofpositions including their upper ends, lower ends and the middleportions, so that the connecting strength between the pipe columns 21can be increased as well as the horizontal rigidity of the unit building1 can be improved more.

[0126] The horizontal rigidity of the unit building 1 according to FIG.12B to FIG. 12D of the invention, namely the allowable horizontal load Pwith respect to the column capital of the building unit 20, becomes 1.2to 1.9 times as high as the allowable horizontal load Pa of aconventional model (FIG. 12A). FIG. 12B shows an example of a boltconnection of the pipe columns 21, 21 to each other at their upper andlower ends, resulting in P=1.2 Pa. FIG. 12C shows an example of a boltconnection of the pipe columns 21, 21 to each other at their upper ends,lower ends and one of the middle portions, resulting in P=1.7 Pa. FIG.12D shows an example of bolt connection of the pipe columns 21, 21 toeach other at their upper ends, lower ends and three of the middleportions, resulting in P=1.9 Pa.

[0127]FIGS. 13A and 13B show a unit building 1, which is constructed insuch a manner that four corner portions of adjacent building units 20are disposed abuttingly to each other, and upper floor building units 30are disposed on the respective building units 20. The constructionmethod III is applied to this case using a cross-shaped holed spacer 70.In this case, the pipe columns 21 of the four building units 20 aredisposed with respect to each other making gaps in a cross shape, andthe pipe columns 31 of the four upper floor building units 30 are alsodisposed with respect to each other making gaps in a cross shape. Inaddition, the ceiling beam 23, which is laid over the adjacent columns21 of the building unit 20 by rigid-connection to the columns at theupper ends thereof, and the floor beam 32, which is laid over theadjacent columns 31 of the upper floor building unit 30 byrigid-connection to the columns at the lower ends thereof, are stackedvertically between the building unit 20 and the building unit 30 whichare disposed vertically with respect to each other.

[0128] The holed spacer 70 comprises, as shown in FIG. 14, a girderplate 71, which is disposed in the direction of beam, and a gable plate72, which is disposed orthogonally to the girder plate at the lower halfof the middle portion along the beam direction of the girder plate 71.

[0129] The lower half portion of the gable plate 71 of the holed spacer70 is inserted into a gap between the opposed side walls 21A, 21A of theadjacent columns 21, 21 of the building units 20, 20 which are disposedadjacently in the direction of gable. A bolt 61, which is insertedthrough the operation hole for bolt fitting 61B which is formed in theside wall 21A of one of the columns 21, is continued to be insertedthrough the bolt holes 61A, 61A in the pipe columns 21, 21, and furtherthrough the bolt hole 71A which is formed in the lower half portion ofthe girder plate 71 which is mounted in the gap between the side walls21A, 21A of both pipe columns 21, 21. Finally, the bolt 61 is screwedwith a nut 62 which is inserted through the operation hole for nutfitting 61C which is formed in the side wall 21B of the other pipecolumn 21. Also, the gable plate 72 of the holed spacer 70 is placed ina gap between the opposed side walls 21A, 21A of the adjacent pipecolumns 21, 21 of the building units 20, 20 which are disposedadjacently in the direction of beam. A bolt 61, which is insertedthrough the operation hole for bolt fitting 61B which is formed in theside wall 21B of one of the columns 21, is continued to be insertedthrough the bolt holes 61A, 61A of both pipe columns 21, and furtherthrough the bolt hole 72A which is formed in the gable plate 72 which isplaced in the gap between the side walls 21A, 21A of both pipe columns21, 21. Finally, the bolt 61 is screwed with a nut 62 which is insertedthrough the operation hole for nut fitting 61C which is formed in theside wall 21B of the other pipe column 21. Thus, the adjacent pipecolumns 21 of the four building units 20 which are disposed adjacentlyto each other may be bolt-connected to each other, so that thehorizontal rigidity of the unit building 1 comprising these buildingunits 20 can be improved rationally as is similar to the embodimentshown in FIG. 10 to 12.

[0130] The upper half portion of the girder plate 71 of the holed spacer70, which extends from the lower half portion of the girder plate 71, isplaced in a gap between the opposed side walls 31A, 31A of the adjacentpipe columns 31, 31 of the upper floor building units 30, 30 which aredisposed adjacently in the direction of gable. A bolt 61, which isinserted through the operation hole for bolt fitting 61B which is formedin the side wall 31B of one of the columns 31, is continued to beinserted through the bolt holes 61A, 61A of both pipe columns 31, 31,and further through the bolt hole 71B which is formed in the upper halfportion of the girder plate 71 which is placed in the gap between theside walls 31A, 31A of both pipe columns 31, 31. Finally, the bolt 61 isscrewed with a nut 62 which is inserted through the operation hole 61Cwhich is formed in the side wall 31B of the other pipe column 31. Thus,the adjacent pipe columns 31 of the four upper floor building units 30which are disposed adjacently to each other may be bolt-connected toeach other, so that the horizontal rigidity of the unit building 1comprising these upper floor building units 30 can be improvedrationally as is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 to 12.

[0131] Further, in the unit building 1, the respective one ends of theceiling beam 23 of the building unit 20 and the floor beam 32 of theupper floor building unit 30, which building units are to be disposedvertically, connected to each other via their pipe columns 21, 31 andthe girder plate 71 of the holed spacer 70 as aforementioned, so thatthe ceiling beam 23 and the floor beam 32 may be connected forpreventing the substantial shift therebetween as is the case ofaforementioned construction method II, in which respective other ends ofthe beams are connected. When the two beams 23, 32 are subjected to avertical load to deform incurvatingly, the phase differences betweenboth ends of the respective beams 23, 32 are constrained. Accordingly, across sectional property of the beams connected to each other becomessuperior to the sum of the respective cross sectional properties of therespective beams 23, 32, so that the connected beams are improved in therigidity as well as the proof strength with respect to a vertical load.Also, when the two beams 23, 32 are subjected to a horizontal load whichacts on the column 31 of one of the building units 30 to make adeformation in the shape of letter S, the phase differences at both endsand a middle portion of the two beams 23, 32 can be constrained. Thusthe frame strength of the building units 20, 30 can be improved and theproof strength thereof with respect to a horizontal load can beincreased. Note that, the construction method II and III may be appliedto unit building 1 in combination, so that the unit building 1 issuccessfully improved in the horizontal rigidity as well as the verticalrigidity.

[0132] In addition, returning to FIGS. 13A and 13B, when there mountedtwo upper floor building units 30 onto only the two building units 20,which are parts of the four building units 20 and disposed in a sidealong the beam direction, and the rest of building units 20 are left asa one-story building without the upper floor building 30, the beamdirection side of the upper half portion of the girder plate 71 of theholed spacer 70 is removed as shown in FIG. 13B by a two dotted chainline.

[0133]FIGS. 15A and 15B are modified embodiments of FIGS. 13A and 13B.In this case of the unit building 1, the corner portions of the adjacenttwo building units 20 are disposed abuttingly, and the upper floorbuilding units 30 are disposed onto the respective building units 20.the construction method III is applied to this unit building 1 makinguse of a holed plate spacer 80.

[0134] A lower half portion of the holed spacer 80 is placed in a gapbetween the opposed side walls 21A, 21A of the adjacent pipe columns 21,21 of the adjacent building units 20, 20. As is similar to theembodiment shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the construction method III isperformed by bolt connection of the pipe columns 21, 21 to each other bymeans of the bolts 61.

[0135] Also an upper half of the holed spacer 80 is placed in a gapbetween the opposed side walls 31A, 31A of the adjacent pipe columns 31,31 of the adjacent upper floor building units 30, 30. As is similar tothe embodiment shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the construction method IIIis performed by bolt connection of the pipe columns 31, 31 to each otherby means of the bolts 61.

[0136] Further, a protrude 81 of the lower portion of the holed spacer80 is placed in a gap between the opposed joint pieces 23J, 23J of theadjacent pipe columns 21, 21 of the adjacent building units 20, 20. Thejoint pieces 23J, 23J facing with respect to the protrude 81 areconnected with a bolt 61 to each other. Then, in this unit building 1,the respective one ends of the ceiling beam 23 of the building units 20and the floor beam 32 of the upper floor building unit 30, both buildingunits being stacked vertically, are connected via their columns 21, 31,and the holed spacer 80. Accordingly, the respective other ends of theceiling beam 23 and the floor beam 32 come to be connected preventingthe substantial shift therebetween, and thus, the construction method IIcan be performed also.

[0137]FIGS. 16A and 16B are modified embodiments of FIGS. 13A and 13B.In this case of unit building 1, the corner portions of the adjacentthree building units 20 are disposed abuttingly, and the respectivebuilding units 20 are mounted with the respective upper floor buildingunits 30. This is an example of performing the construction method IIImaking use of a holed spacer 90 in the shape of letter L.

[0138] The holed spacer 90 comprises a girder plate 91 which is disposedalong the beam direction and a gable plate 92 which is disposedorthogonally to one of vertical edges of the girder plate 91.

[0139] In the respective directions along gable and beam, lower portionsof the respective girder plate 91 and gable plate 92 of the holed spacer90 are placed in a gap of opposed side walls 21A, 21A of the adjacentpipe columns 21, 21 of the adjacent building units 20, 20. As is similarto the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the adjacent pipe columns21, 21 are bolt connected to each other with a bolt 61, and theconstruction method III is performed.

[0140] Also in the respective directions along gable and beam, upperportions of the girder plate 91 and the gable plate 92 of the holedspace 90 are placed in a gap between the opposed side walls 31A, 31A ofthe adjacent pipe columns 31, 31 of the adjacent upper floor buildingunits 30, 30. As is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13A and13B, the adjacent pipe columns 31, 31 are connected to each other with abolt 61, and the construction method III is performed.

[0141] In the unit building 1, the respective one ends of the ceilingbeam 23 of the building unit 20 and the floor beam 32 of the upper floorbuilding unit 30 are connected to each other via their pipe columns 21,31 and the girder plate 91 or gable beam 92 of the holed spacer 90.Accordingly, the respective other ends of the ceiling beam 23 and thefloor beam 32 are connected to each other preventing the substantialshift therebetween, and the construction method II can perform also.

[0142] In addition, in FIGS. 16A and 16B showing the unit building 1having three building units 20, when only the building unit 20, which isin a side along the gable direction, is mounted with the upper floorbuilding unit 30, and the other building units 20 are left as one-storyunit building without the upper floor building unit(s) 30, the upperhalf portion of the gable plate 92 of the holed spacer 90 is removed asshown in FIG. 16B by a two dotted chain line.

[0143] (Construction method IV: Reinforcing Structure with DiagonalMember) (FIGS. 17A to FIG. 19)

[0144] The construction methods IV is applied between a column foot 21Fof a column 21 of a lowest floor building unit 20 and a middle portionof a ceiling beam 23, a column foot 31F of a column 31 of an upper floorbuilding unit 30 (same with 40) and a middle portion of a ceiling beam33, and a column capital 31H of a column 31 of an upper floor buildingunit 30 (same with 40) and a middle portion of a floor beam 32 (FIG. 1,FIG. 2).

[0145]FIG. 17A shows a diagonal member 101 provided between the columnfoot 21F of the column 21 of the lowest floor building unit 20 and themiddle portion of the ceiling beam 23. The diagonal member 101 is pinconnected (rigid connection allowable) to the column foot 21F of thecolumn 21 and the middle portion of the ceiling beam 23 respectively.

[0146]FIG. 17B shows a diagonal member 102 provided between the columnfoot 31F of the column 31 of the upper floor building unit 30 and themiddle portion of the ceiling beam 33. The diagonal member 102 ispin-connected (rigid connection allowable) to the column foot 31F of thecolumn 31 and the middle portion of the ceiling beam 33 respectively.Alternatively, said diagonal member 102 may be provided between thecolumn capital 31H of the column 31 and the middle portion of the floorbeam 32, because the upper floor building unit 30 includes the floorbeam 32.

[0147] According to the construction method IV, when a diagonal member101 is provided in the unit building 1 between the column capital 21F ofthe lowest floor building unit 20 and the middle portion of the ceilingbeam 23, column 21, which consists in part of a frame of a Rahmenconstruction, part of the ceiling beam 23 and the diagonal member 101form a right angle triangle, which is an invariant construction(invariant truss). Then, noting an apparent length L2 of the ceilingbeam 23 of the building unit 20, which apparent length L2 is obtained bysubtracting the length of the invariant truss portion L1 from the totallength L of the ceiling beam 23, and which apparent length L2corresponds to the length of the deformed portion, the frame rigidity isimproved and the proof strength with respect to a horizontal load P isincreased by shortening this apparent length L2 of the ceiling beam 23(FIG. 18).

[0148] Also, when a diagonal member 102 is provided between the columnfoot 31F of the upper floor building unit 30 (same with 40) and themiddle portion of the ceiling beam 33 (or between the column capital 31Hand the middle portion of the floor beam 32), the column 31, whichconsists in part of the frame of a Rahmen construction, part of theceiling beam 33 and the diagonal member 102 form a right angle triangle,which is an invariant construction (invariant truss). Then, noting theapparent length L2 of the ceiling beam 33 of the building unit 30, whichapparent length L2 is obtained by subtracting the length L1 of theinvariant truss part from the total length L of the ceiling beam 33, andwhich apparent length L2 corresponds to the length of the deformedportion, the frame rigidity is improved and the proof strength withrespect to a horizontal load P is increased by shortening this apparentlength L2 of the ceiling beam 23.

[0149] The aforementioned invariant construction (invariant truss) canbe formed simply by adding the diagonal members 101, 102 to the existingframes consisting of the column 21 and beam 23, and the column 31 andthe beams 32,33, those frames having a Rahmen construction, so that theaforementioned increase of the frame rigidity can be established easily.

[0150] Through the use of pin connection of the diagonal members 101,102 to the columns 21, 31 and the beams 23, 33(32) respectively, theaforementioned invariant construction (invariant truss) can be formedeasily at part of the frame of a Rahmen construction. This results inmaking connection of the diagonal members 101, 102 simple.

[0151] Since the reinforcement of the frame rigidity is achieved by onlyadding the diagonal members 101, 102, it does not obstruct the formationof an opening in a Rahmen construction of the building units such as 20,30. Namely, relatively large openings may be formed.

[0152] The frame rigidity of the building units 20, 30 (same with 40)according to the present invention becomes 1.3 to 2.0 times as high asthat of a conventional model. With regard to the building unit 20 and 30(same with 40), when the connecting position of the diagonal members101, 102 to the ceiling beam 23 of the building unit 20 and the ceilingbeam 33 of the building unit 30 is arranged in such a manner that thelength of the invariant truss portion L1 is 450 mm and 900 mmrespectively, the allowable horizontal load Pa of the building unit 20is increased to 1550 kg, 1700 kg respectively, and the same of thebuilding unit 30 is increased to 1200 kg, 1400 kg respectively. On theother hand, the allowable horizontal load Pa for a conventional modelwithout the diagonal members 101, 102 is 1300 kg, 900 kg respectively.These results can be seen in FIG. 19.

[0153] Note that, shown in FIG. 19 in the lowest building unit 20, theright and left diagonal members 101, 101 may be provided between thecolumn foots 21F of the right and left columns 21 and the respectiveright and left middle potions of the ceiling beam 23. Also as shown inFIG. 19, in the upper floor building units 30 (same with 40), the rightand left diagonal members 102, 102 may be provided between the columnfoots 31F (or the column capitals 31H) of the right and left columns 31and the respective right and left middle portions of the ceiling beam 33(or floor beam 32). According to this, even if the length of theinvariant truss portion L1, which invariant truss is formed byconnecting the right and left diagonal members 101, 101, 102, 102 to theceiling beam 23 of the lowest floor building unit 20 and the ceilingbeam 33 of the upper floor building unit 30 respectively, is as short as450 mm for example, the allowable horizontal load Pa of the buildingunit 20, 30 can be increased to 2050 kg and 1800 kg.

[0154]FIG. 20 to FIG. 22 show a specific example of fixing the diagonalmember 101 (same with 102) according to the construction method IV. Thebuilding unit 20 (same with 30, 40) is provided with the floor beam 22as an example. A reinforcement frame 25 including the diagonal member101 is fixed between the floor beam 22 and the ceiling beam 23.

[0155] The reinforcement frame 25 comprises a reinforcement column 26,which is provided additionally to the column 21, and a intermediatecolumn 27. The reinforcement frame 25 is constructed in such a mannerthat a lower end of the diagonal member 101 is welded to a fixing plate26A which is extended horizontally from the lower end of thereinforcement column 26, an upper end of the diagonal member 101 iswelded to a side surface of an upper end of the intermediate column 27,a tie beam 28 is laid between a lower middle portion of the diagonalmember 101 and a lower middle portion of the intermediate column 27, anda tie beam 29 is laid between an upper middle portion of the diagonalmember 101 and a upper middle portion of the reinforcement column 26.

[0156] In the reinforcement frame 25, a fixing plate 26A, which includesthe lower ends of the reinforcement column 26 and the diagonal member101, is bolt connected to a joint piece 22J, which is connected to thecolumn foot 21F of the column 21, and a fixing plate 26B which isextended horizontally from the upper end of the reinforcement column 26,is bolt connected to a joint piece 23J, which is connected to the columncapital 21H of the column 21. Further, a floor beam reinforcement piece103, which has a cross section in the shape of letter L, is welded to anupper flange of the floor beam 22, which is held by the joint piece 22J,and to an inside surface of a web. The fixing plate 26A of the diagonalmember 101 is placed onto the joint piece 22J, and connected with a bolt104, which is inserted through the floor beam reinforcement piece 103,floor beam 22, the joint piece 22J and the fixing plate 26A, and a nut104A.

[0157] The lower end of the intermediate column 27 of the reinforcementframe 25 is bolt connected to the upper flange of the floor beam 22, andthe upper end of the intermediate column 27 is bolt connected to thelower flange of the ceiling floor 23. At this time, a ceiling beamreinforcement piece 105, which has a cross section in the shape ofletter C, is welded between the upper and lower flanges of the ceilingbeam 23, to which beam the upper end of the intermediate column 27 is tobe bolt connected.

[0158] Note that, in this embodiment, the term of “connection forpreventing the substantial shift” means, for example, “connection forkeeping the shape of the connecting portion rectangular”, and“connection for preventing the shift between the upper and lower beams”,and also that this term includes not only the rigid connection but alsoany connection weaker than the rigid connection. Further note that theterm “end” in the “connection of the ends of beams to each other”includes an adjacent area of the end itself.

[0159] (Construction Method V: Column-Eliminated ReinforcementStructure) (FIGS. 23A to FIG. 28)

[0160] The construction method V is applied at the column-eliminatedcorners of the building unit 20 (same with 30, 40) (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).

[0161] (Embodiment 1) (FIGS. 23A to 23C and FIG. 24)

[0162] The unit building 1A shown in FIGS. 23A to 23C is part of theunit building 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which is of a type where aplurality of building units 20 are disposed adjacently to each other inthe horizontal and vertical directions. The four column-eliminatedbuilding units 120, which form a part of said unit building, maycontribute to form a wide and continuous space due to eliminatedcolumns.

[0163] A building unit 20 has, as typically shown in FIG. 3, a frameworkconstruction, wherein four columns 21 of a square steel pipe, four floorbeams 22 of a structural steel and four ceiling beams 23 of a structuralsteel are connected into a shape of box. The building unit 20 isconstructed in such a manner that floor beams 22 intersecting to eachother are connected to a lower end of the column 21 with a joint piece22J at four corners, and ceiling beams 23 intersecting to each other areconnected to an upper end of the column 22 with a joint piece 23J.

[0164] A column-eliminated building unit 120 is, as shown in FIG. 24, ofa type where one of the four columns 21 of a conventional building unit20 is eliminated. The column-eliminated building unit 120 is constructedwith respect to the floor beams in such a manner that floor beams 22intersecting each other are connected to the lower end of the column 21with the joint piece 22J at the three corners except thecolumn-eliminated corner, and the floor beams 22 intersecting each otherare connected to each other with a joint piece 22K at thecolumn-eliminated corner. The column-eliminated building unit 120 isconstructed with respect to the ceiling beams 23 in such a manner thatthe ceiling beams 23, which are disposed intersectingly to each other atthe column-eliminated corner, and which are aligned in the gabledirection, are formed into a joint ceiling beam 121, the rest of ceilingbeams 23 are left as the normal ceiling beams 23, the respective normalceiling beams 23 is connected to the upper end of the column 21 with ajoint piece 23J, the joint ceiling beam 121 is connected to the upperend of a column 21 with the joint piece 23K, and the ceiling beams 121is connected to the ceiling beam 23 with a joint piece 23L.

[0165] In the column-eliminated building unit 120, the cross sectionalstrength of the joint ceiling beam 121 is increased compared with thatof the other normal ceiling beams. The joint ceiling beam 121 is formedof a C-shape steel with lip. The end of the joint ceiling beam towardthe column-eliminated corner is welded to an end plate 122. In order toprevent the joint piece 23L, which is to be welded afterwards on saidend, to cover the end plate 122, part of the joint piece 23L is removedlike a cut-off 123 along the periphery of the end plate 122. In thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120, the positional accuracy of thesurface of the end plate 122 in the longitudinal direction of the jointceiling beam 121 is kept with respect to the reference position, whichcorresponds to the column 21 connected to the joint piece 23K.

[0166] The column-eliminated building unit 120 is provided with atemporary column 124 detachably at the column-eliminated corner portion.The temporary column 124 is detachably connected to the aforementionedjoint piece 22K of the floor beam 22 and the joint piece 23L of theceiling beams 23 and 121 with fitting means such as a bolt or a pin.

[0167] As shown in FIG. 23A, in part of the lower floor of the unitbuilding 1A, the respective predetermined column-eliminated corners ofthe four column-eliminated building units 120 (120A to 120D) aredisposed abuttingly to each other at the column-eliminated connectionportion 2.

[0168] The ceiling beams 23, which are disposed intersectingly at thecolumn-eliminated corner in the same plane including bothcolumn-eliminated connection portions 2 between the column-eliminatedbuilding unit 120A and the column-eliminated building unit 120Bcorresponding to each other, serve as the aforementioned joint ceilingbeam 121 (FIG. 24). As such, the end plates 122 of the joint ceilingbeams 121, which correspond at the column-eliminated connection portion2 of both building units 120A and 120B, sit in parallel with a gap of apredetermined dimension. Accordingly, a spacer 110 is inserted into thegap from the top or from the side thereof, which gap is formed betweenthe end plates 122 of the opposed joint ceiling beams 121. The thicknessof the spacer is determined to fit the gap.

[0169] In this embodiment, two spacers 110 are inserted into the upperand lower sides of the end plates 122. Then, the end plates 122 of theopposed joint ceiling beams 21 and the spacers 110 are connectedtogether with a high strength bolt 111 (not shown). The high strengthbolt 111 is inserted through bolt holes 122A formed in the opposed endplates 122 and bolt holes 110A formed in the spacers 110 and finallyscrewed with a nut 112 at the forward end thereof. In this embodiment,two high strength bolts 111 are used at right and left per one piece ofthe spacer 110. Thus, the rigid-connection is established in thelongitudinal direction of the joint ceiling beam 121 as well as thehorizontally perpendicular direction to the former, so that thesubstantially perfect rigid-connection can be established as a whole.The high strength bolt 111 may be of a Torshear or a hexagonal type orthe like.

[0170] Also, the end plates 122 of the opposed joint ceiling beams 121between the corresponding column-eliminated building unit 120C and thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120D are connected to each otherincluding the spacers 110 with a high strength bolt 111 for establishingthe rigid-connection, in the same manner regarding the building unit120A and the building unit 120B as aforementioned.

[0171] When connecting the end plates 122 of the opposed joint ceilingbeams 121 between the corresponding building unit 120A and building unit120B, and corresponding building unit 120C and building unit 120D, thetemporary columns 124 are provided at the column-eliminated cornerportions of the respective building units 120. The temporary columns 124are removed after the connection between the end plates 122 of theopposed joint ceiling beams 121 has been completed.

[0172] The following working-effects are possible according to thepresent embodiment.

[0173] (a) The joint ceiling beams 121, which intersect each other atthe column-eliminated corner portions of the respective adjacentbuilding units 120, are connected to each other. As a result, the jointceiling beams 121 are united into a continuous beam extending over bothbuilding units 120 like a long beam. Hence, the column-eliminated unitbuilding 1A can be reinforced without using a separate long beam, sothat the material management and the workability can be improved.

[0174] (b) The joint ceiling beam 121 itself, which is part of theceiling beam 23 consisting the building unit 120, serves to reinforcethe unit building 1A, so that there is no need to provide additionally aseparate reinforcement member around the building unit 120. In the caseof disposing another building unit 20 adjacent to the building unit 120,there is no need to provide a space for the reinforcement membersbetween the building unit 120 and another building unit 20.

[0175] (c) The cross sectional strength of the joint ceiling beam 121,which intersects at the column-eliminated corner portion of the unitbuilding 1A for reinforcing said unit building 1A, may be increasedenough for compensating the strength reduction due to the elimination ofthe column. In addition, the cross sectional strength of the otherceiling beams 23 is kept at a normal level. As a result, all of theceiling beams 23 of the building unit 120 are provided with sufficientcross sectional strength, and contribute to keep strength economically.

[0176] (d) The rigid-connection of the end plates 122 of the jointceiling beam 121 of the adjacent building units 120 via the spacers 110by means of high strength bolts 111 is advantageous for connectingeasily the joint ceiling beams 121 to each other, and for improving theaccuracy in the dimension of the unit building 1A.

[0177] (e) The temporary column 124, which is provided at thecolumn-eliminated corner portion of the building unit 120, is notremoved during the steps of manufacturing of the building unit 120,transportation, stocking, field erection and the connection of the jointceiling beam 121. Thus, the building unit 120 may be kept strong duringthe connection of the joint ceiling beam 121, so that the buildingstrength during construction may be secured and good workability may bemaintained.

[0178] (Embodiment 2) (FIGS. 25A and 25B)

[0179] A unit building 1B shown in FIGS. 25A and 25B includes a largewellhall space which has two lower floor building units 120 and an upperfloor building unit 30 which is disposed thereon.

[0180] The column-eliminated building unit 120 of the embodiment 2 isdifferent from the column-eliminated building unit 120 in that twocolumns 21, standing adjacently in the beam direction, out of fourcolumns 21 of a normal building unit 20 are eliminated, two ceiling beam23 aligning in the gable direction are connected to a joint ceiling beam121, ceiling beams 23 extending in the beam direction and intersectingwith the joint ceiling beam 121 are made to serve as temporary beams125, and the temporary beams 125 are connected detachably to the freeends of the joint ceiling beam 121 with attaching means such as bolt orpin and made removable by cutting.

[0181] With regard to the unit building 1B, in part of the lower flooras shown in FIG. 25A, the two predetermined column-eliminated cornerportions of the two column-eliminated building units 120 (120A, 120B)are disposed abuttingly to each other at the column-eliminatedconnection portions 2, 3.

[0182] Between the column-eliminated building unit 120A and thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120B, the end plates 122 of the opposedceiling beams 121, as shown in FIG. 25B are connected to each other, asis similar to the Embodiment 1. Then, the temporary columns 124 areremoved, and the temporary beams 125 are cut off (or simply removed).

[0183] Subsequently, the building unit 30, which is to construct anupper floor, is disposed on the column-eliminated building unit 120. Thefloor beam 22 of the upper floor building unit 30, which floor beamcorresponds to the temporary beam 125 of the lower building unit 120, iseliminated from the outset, or cut off after the disposition in order toform a wellhall space in an upper portion of the lower building unit120.

[0184] As such, the unit building 1B may assure the structural strengthby means of the joint ceiling beam 121 as well as form a large wellhallspace over the lower floor building unit 120 to the upper floor buildingunit 30.

[0185] (Embodiment 3) (FIGS. 26A and 26B)

[0186] The unit building 1C shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B is intended toform a stair well with two lower floor units 120, which consist in partof the unit building 1C, and an upper floor building unit 30, which isto be disposed thereon.

[0187] The column-eliminated building unit 10 used in the embodiment 3is different from the column-eliminated building unit 120 used in theembodiment 1 in that the ceiling beam 23, which intersects the jointceiling beam 121, consists of a temporary beam 126A, which is part ofthe ceiling beam 23 in the intersecting side with said ceiling beam 121,and a partial beam 126B, which is the rest of said joint ceiling beam121. The respective ends of the temporary beam 126A are connected to thefree end of the joint ceiling beam 121 and the end of the partial beam126B with attaching means such as bolt or pin, and is removable bycutting. The end of the partial beam 126B, which is to be connected tothe temporary beam 126A, is supported by an intermediate column 127 (notshown).

[0188] In part of the lower floor of the unit building 1C, as shown inFIG. 26A, the predetermined column-eliminated corner portions of the tworespective column-eliminated building units 120(120A, 120B) are disposedabuttingly at the column-eliminated connection portion 2.

[0189] Between the column-eliminated building unit 120A and thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120B, as shown in FIG. 26B, the endplates 122 of the opposed joint ceiling beams 121 are connected as issimilar to the embodiment 1, then the temporary columns 124 are removed,and the temporary beams 126A are cut off (or simply removed).

[0190] Subsequently, the floor unit 30, which is to constitute the upperfloor, is disposed on the column-eliminated building unit 120. Withregard to the floor beam 22 of the upper floor building unit 30, whichfloor beam corresponds to the temporary beam 126A and the partial beam126B of the lower floor building unit 120, part of the floor beam 22,which corresponds to the temporary beam 126A, is eliminated from theoutset or cut after the disposition.

[0191] As such, the unit building 1C may assure the structural strengthby means of the joint ceiling beam 121 as well as form a stair well overthe lower floor building unit 120 to the upper floor building unit 30.

[0192] (Embodiment 4) (FIG. 27, FIG. 28)

[0193] The unit building iD shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28 is intended toform a wide and continuous column-eliminated space using the four lowerfloor column-eliminated building units 120 as is similar to the unitbuilding 1A. The unit building iD is intended further to dispose theupper floor column-eliminated building units 130 on the respectivecolumn-eliminated building units 120 and to form also a wide andcontinuous column-eliminated space using the four upper floorcolumn-eliminated building units 130.

[0194] Accordingly, the unit building iD is constructed such that thejoint ceiling beam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120A,which is arranged in one side with respect to the column-eliminatedconnection portion 2 of the lower floor, corresponds to the jointceiling beam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120B in theother side; the joint floor beam 131 of the column-eliminated buildingunit 130A, which is arranged in one side with respect to thecolumn-eliminated connection portion 2 of the upper floor, correspondsto the joint floor beam 131 of the column-eliminated building unit 130Bin the other side; and the joint floor beam 131 of the column-eliminatedbuilding unit 130A (130B) in the upper floor is arranged stackingly onthe joint ceiling beam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120A(120B) of the lower floor.

[0195] Accordingly, the joint ceiling beam 121 and the joint floor beam131 of the column-eliminated building unit 120A, 130A which are arrangedin one side with respect to the respective column-eliminated connectionportions 2, and the joint ceiling beam 121 and the joint floor beam 131of the column-eliminated building unit 120B, 130B arranged in the otherside connected as follows;

[0196] (1) A plate-like joint member 141 and a V-sectioned joint member142 are placed extendingly over a lower flange of the joint ceiling beam121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120A and a lower flange ofthe joint ceiling beam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120B.The joint member 141 is placed additionally on an inner surface of thelower flange of both joint ceiling beams 121. The joint member 142 isplaced additionally on outer surfaces of the lower flange, a lowerportion of a web and a lower lip of both joint ceiling beams 121.

[0197] At one side of the respective joint members 141, 142, two highstrength bolts 143 are inserted through bolt holes formed in the jointmembers 141, 142 and the lower flange of the joint ceiling beam 121, andfastened with nuts 143A at the inserted end thereof. At the other sideof the respective joint members 141, 142, two high strength bolts 143are inserted through bolt holes formed in the joint members 141, 142 andthe lower flange of the joint ceiling beam 121, and fastened with nuts143A at the inserted end thereof. As such, the joint members 141, 142are rigid-connected in one side to the joint ceiling beam 121 of thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120A, and the joint members 141, 142 arerigid-connected in the other side to the joint beam 121 of thecolumn-eliminated building unit 120B.

[0198] (2) A plate-like joint member 151 and U-sectioned joint member152 are placed extendingly over an upper flange of the joint ceilingbeam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit 120A and an upper flangeof the joint ceiling beam 121 of the column-eliminated building unit120B. The joint member 151 is placed additionally on an inner surface ofthe upper flange of both joint ceiling beams 121. The joint member 152is placed additionally on an outer surface of the upper flange, an upperportion of a web and an upper lip of both joint ceiling beams 121.

[0199] At one side of the joint members 151 and 152, two high strengthbolts 153 are inserted through bolt holes formed in the joint members151, 152, the upper flange of the joint ceiling beam 121, the lowerflange and a joint piece 131J of the joint floor beam 131 of thecolumn-eliminated building unit 130A and a square washer 131A, and theinserted end thereof is fastened with a nut 153A of strength bolts 153.Note that the joint piece 131J is placed for connecting a short column131C to the column-eliminated end of the joint floor beam 131. At theother side of the joint members 151 and 152, two high strength bolts 153are inserted through bolt holes formed in the joint members 151, 152,the upper flange of the joint ceiling beam 121, the lower flange and thejoint piece 131J of the joint floor beam 131 of the column-eliminatedbuilding unit 130B and a square nut 131A, and the inserted end thereofis fastened with a nut 153A. Note that said joint piece 131J is placedfor connecting a short column 131C to the column-eliminated end of thejoint floor beam 131. As such, the one side of the joint members 151 and152 are rigid-connected with the joint ceiling beam 121 and the jointfloor beam 131 of the column-eliminated building units 120A and 130Arespectively. Also the other side of the joint members 151 and 152 arerigid-connected with the joint ceiling beam 131 and joint floor beam 131of the column-eliminated building units 120B and 130B respectively.

[0200] In addition, in the upper floor of the unit building ID, thejoint ceiling member 132 of the column-eliminated building unit 130A onone side with respect to the column-eliminated connection portion 2 andthe joint ceiling beam 132 of the column-eliminated building unit 130Bon the other side are connected with a joint member which is similar tothe joint members 141, 142, 151 and 152 described in foregoing (1) and(2).

[0201] According to the present embodiment, the joint ceiling beams 121,121 corresponding to each other and the joint floor beams 131, 131corresponding to each other of the adjacent building units 120A, 130Aand 120B, 130B are rigid-connected with high strength bolts 143, 153through the joint member 141,142,151, and 152, so that joint ceilingbeams 121 and the joint floor beams 131 can be easily connected to eachother. In addition, the accuracy in the dimension of the unit buildingID may be improved.

[0202]FIG. 29 to 32 show a guide collar 200 and a attachment 210 whichare preferable for connecting the end plates to each other, which endplates 122 are to be placed on the opposed joint ceiling beams 121 of,for example, unit building 1A according to the construction method V.The guide collar 200 and attachment 210 serves to align the bolt holes122A formed in the end plates 122 of the opposed joint ceiling beams 121(also the bolt holes 110A formed in the spacer 110) in order to causethe high strength bolt 111 to be inserted easily. The method ofalignment will be described hereunder.

[0203] Note that the guide collar 200 is configured to have, as shown inFIG. 29, a length shorter than that of the threaded portion of the highstrength bolt 111, an outer diameter smaller than those of the bolt hole122A in the end plate 122 and bolt hole 110A in the spacer 110, ahexagonal head 201 at its base end, a tapered front end 202 and athreaded hole for the high strength bolt 111 to be insertedtherethrough. Also note that the attachment 210 is configured to have aslit 211 and a stopper 212, as shown in FIG. 30. The clearance of theslit is smaller than the diameter of the head 111A of a high strengthbolt 111 and larger than the diameter of the threaded stem thereof, sothat the threaded stem can be inserted through the slit 211. When thethreaded stem of the bolt 111, which is attached with the guide collar200, is inserted through the slit 211, the outer surfaces of thehexagonal head 201 of the guide collar 200 engages the slit 211, and thecollar 200 comes to be stopped to rotate.

[0204] (1) A guide collar 200 is screwed on the circumference of a highstrength bolt 111 except for the front portion (FIG. 43A).

[0205] (2) The front portion of the high strength bolt 111 is insertedthrough a bolt hole 122A formed in an end plate 122 of opposed jointceiling beams 121 (FIG. 31B). At this time, if the bolt holes 122A inboth end plates 122 or bolt hole 110A in spacer 110 are not aligned toeach other, the guide collar 200 may be stopped after entering through asingle bolt hole 122A or 110A of the first plate of the end plate 122.

[0206] (3) When the nut 112 is put on the front portion of the highstrength bolt 111, which front portion is protruded from the bolt hole122A in the end plate 122, and screwed about the bolt, the high strengthbolt 111 and the guide collar 200 may be drawn through the bolt holes122A in the two end plates 122 and the bolt holes 110A in the spacer110. Thus, the bolt holes 122A and 110A are aligned coaxiallyrespectively (FIG. 31C to FIG. 31E).

[0207] (4) Then, the nut 112 is removed from the high strength bolt 111(FIG. 31F).

[0208] (5) The high strength bolt 111 is loosen from the guide collar200, and the attachment 210 is inserted between the head 111A of thehigh strength bolt 111 and the outer surface of the first plate of theend plate 122. The guide collar 200 is received in the attachment 210,and the outer surface of the hexagonal head 201 of the guide collar 200is made to engage the stopper 212 of the attachment 210, so that theattachment 210 serves to stop the rotation of the guide collar (FIG. 32Aand FIG. 32B).

[0209] (6) When the high strength bolt 111 is screwed up against theattachment 210, a reaction force is generated between the high strengthbolt and the end plate 122 or the spacer 110. The guide collar may bedrawn out from the bolt hole 122A in the end plate 122 or the bolt hole110A in the spacer 110 with the aid of the reaction force making theattachment 210 as a support point (FIG. 32C and FIG. 32D).

[0210] (7) The guide collar 200 and the attachment 210 are removedtogether with the high strength bolt 111 out of the bolt hole 122A inthe end plate 122 (FIG. 32E).

[0211] (8) The high strength bolt 111 (the same removed from the guidecollar 200 may be used) are inserted into the aligned bolt holes 122A inboth end plates 122 and the bolt holes 110A in the spacer 110, the nut112 is screwed completely about the inserted front end of said highstrength bolt. Thus, the end plates 122 of the opposed joint ceilingbeam 121 are connected to each other completely.

[0212] In the case of bolt holes 122A (110A) being prepared in three ormore positions in the end plates 122 (spacer 110), the alignmentaccording to the aforementioned steps (1) to (7) making use of the guidecollar 200 and the attachment 210 may be carried out for bolt holes 122A(110A) in at least two positions, or preferably for the same taking twopositions on a diagonal. Then, the alignment for the rest of the boltholes 122A (110A) may be carried out automatically.

[0213] Note that the foregoing alignment method for a plurality ofopposed holes making use of the guide collar 200 and the attachment 210may be applied not only to the construction method V, but also to theconstruction method II in which the bolt holes formed in the opposed twobeams (may include the plates) are to be aligned, and to theconstruction method III in which the bolt holes formed in the respectiveopposed side walls of the adjacent pipe columns are to be aligned.

[0214] According to the present embodiment, the guide collar 200 and theattachment 210 may be effectively used for making correction of themisalignment of the bolt holes 122A of the opposed joint ceiling beam121, and as a result, the alignment of the bolt holes 122A is easier andthe insertion of the high strength bolt 111 into the bolt holes 122A isalso easier.

[0215] Further, in the case of holding the spacer 110 between theopposed joint ceiling beams 121, the bolt holes 122A and 110A, which areformed in the joint ceiling beam 121 and the spacer 110 respectively,may be aligned easily.

[0216] The building unit of the present invention can be of a type wherethe column-eliminated corner portions of the three or morecolumn-eliminated building units are connected abuttingly to each otherat the column-eliminated connection portion.

[0217] Next, a modified embodiment of the construction method I will bedescribed hereunder.

[0218] As shown in FIG. 33 and FIGS. 34A and 34B, a unit building 1 isconstructed in such a manner that a plurality of the building units 20,which are built at a manufacturing site, are disposed adjacently to eachother in the horizontal direction on foundations 10 at a building site.

[0219] As shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B, the building unit 20 has arectangular parallelepiped framework construction wherein floor beams 22of a structural steel are laid over four pipe columns 21 of a squaresteel and welded to column foots 21F thereof, and ceiling beams 23 of astructural steel are laid over the foregoing columns 21 and welded tocolumn capitals thereof.

[0220] In the building unit 20, as shown in FIG. 35 and FIGS. 36A and36B, one of ends of a joint piece 22J, which has a cross section in ashape of half-square, is welded to the outer surface of the column foot21F of the column 21, and an end of the floor beam 22 is inserted intothe half-square shaped cross section of the joint piece 22J, and saidfloor beam 22 is secured by welding to the joint piece 22J. At thistime, since the column foot 21F of the column 21 is not provided with acolumn lid on the lower end opening thereof, the floor beam 22 ispin-connected to the column foot 21F of the column 21. Note that thecolumn foot 21F may be provided with a temporary lid 21C on the lowerend opening, which temporary lid is used during manufacturing andtransportation. Also note that the column capital of the column 21 isprovided with a column lid on the upper end opening, so that the ceilingbeam 23 is rigid-connected to the column capital of the column 21.

MODIFIED EXAMPLE 1

[0221] According to the modified embodiment 1, as shown in FIGS. 34A and34B and FIGS. 36A and 36B, the base connection structure of the buildingunit 20 is of a type where the column foot 21F of the column 21 isrigid-connected to a base 10 and secured to the same. Specifically, asteel base construction 223 is secured to a concrete mat foundation 221of the base 10 with anchor bolts 222, a support member 224 of a squaresteel pipe is welded to a base plate 223A of the base construction 223,which support member 224 is reinforced by a diagonal member 223B, alower end of a steel core 225 is inserted into the support member 224through the top end thereof, which lower end is welded to the supportmember so that the core 225 will be installed upright. In thisembodiment, the outer size of the cross section of the steel pipesupport member 224 is to be identical to the outer size of the column21F. When the building unit 20 is built on the base 10, the core 225 ofthe base 10 is inserted into a hollow portion of the column foot 21F ofthe column 21 of the building unit 20. Then, the column foot 21F and thecore 225 are connected with two high strength bolts 231, which areconfigured to penetrate through the column foot 21F as well as the core225 and disposed adjacently in an above-and-below relation, washers 232and nuts 233. The core 225 attaches to a inside surface of the columnfoot 21F without making any gap therebetween in the beam direction ofthe building unit 20, which direction is same as that of the axialdirection of the high strength bolt 231. On the contrary, the core 225attaches to the inside surface of the column foot 21A with a gap in thegable direction of the building unit 20 (FIGS. 36A and 36B).

[0222] In addition, when the adjacent building unit 20 is not providedwith a corresponding column 21 in the beam direction, the column foot21F of a single column 21 and a single core 225 is connected with asingle high strength bolt 231 (FIG. 36B). On the contrary, when twobuilding units 20 are disposed adjacently in the beam direction, aspacer 234 is held between both column foots 21F, and said two columnfoots 21F and a core 225 are connected together with a single highstrength bolt 231 (FIG. 37).

[0223] With regard to the strength of the aforementioned base connectionstructure of a building unit 20, in which the internal width of thecolumn foot 21F is given as d and the span in the vertical directionbetween the adjacent high strength bolts 231 is given as e, a followingrelation is found in the beam direction of the building unit 20;d×f1+e×f2>Ma, where f1 is a vertical load, f2 is a horizontal load andMa is a bending moment as shown in FIG. 38A. In the gable direction ofthe building unit 20, it is found that e×f>Mb, where f is a horizontalload and Mb is a bending mode as shown in FIG. 38B. Accordingly, itshould be noted that the column foot 21F and the core 225 may berigid-connected in both beam and gable directions by means of the core225, which attaches firmly the internal surfaces of the column foot 21Fin the beam direction of the building unit 20, with two high strengthbolts 231 which are disposed in an above-and-below relation.

[0224] In the aforementioned base connection structure of the buildingunit 20, the joint piece 22J of the floor beam 22 is welded to the outersurface of the hollow portion, where the core 225 is to be inserted, ofthe column foot 21F of the column 21, so that said joint piece 22Jserves to constitute one of the reinforcing pieces of this invention.

[0225] The following working-effects are possible according to theaforementioned base connection structure of the building unit 20.

[0226] (a) By virtue of the rigid-connection of the column foot 21F ofthe building unit 20 to the base 10, the column foot 21F may beconstrained to rotate with respect to a base 10 and the horizontalrigidity of the building may be improved. There is no need to strengthenthe cross section of a column 21, or to add an intermediate column or ahorizontal brace in order to improve the horizontal rigidity of thebuilding, so that the degree of freedom for planning of the building isincreased, and the cost is decreased.

[0227] (b) A core 225 mounted on the base 10 is inserted into a hollowportion of a column foot 21F, and the column foot 21F and the core 225are firmly attached to each other and connected with the high strengthbolt 231, which are configured to penetrate through the column foot 21Fas well as the core 225. By virtue of this, the column 21F and the core225 may be made rigid-connection in the beam direction in which thecolumn foot 21F and the core 225 are attached firmly to each other, andin the gable direction in which the column foot 21F and the core 225 areattached holding a gap therebetween. Hence, the column foot 21F may bemade by rigid-connection easily to the base 10.

[0228] (c) A reinforcing piece 22J is connected to an outer surface ofthe hollow portion of the column 21F where the core 225 of the columnfoot 21F is to be inserted. As a result, the reinforcing piece 22Jserves to prevent the decrease of the rigidity of the column foot 221F,and consequently to prevent the local deformation thereof.

[0229] (d) The joint piece 22J, which is provided for the column foot21F to be connected to the floor beam 22, may be used as theaforementioned reinforcing piece 22J.

[0230] (e) Since the floor beam 22 is pin-connected to the column foot21F, the building unit 20 is assured to keep enough horizontal rigidityaccording to forgoing (a), while the framework of the building unit 20is simplified.

[0231] In addition, by virtue of the aforementioned base connectionstructure of the building unit 20, it was found that the horizontalrigidity of the building concerned is 1.65 times of that of aconventional example, in which a column 21F is pin-connected to a base10.

MODIFIED EXAMPLE 2

[0232]FIG. 39 shows a base connection structure of the modifiedembodiment 2, which is configured for a building unit 20 constructing apiloties, garage and the like. In this case, the framework constructionof the building unit 20 is not provided with a floor beam 22 at least ina side plane. A lower end of a steel pipe support structure 241 isimplanted into a mat foundation 221 of a base 10. A lower end of a steelcore 225 is inserted into the steel pipe support structure 241 from thetop thereof and welded so that the core 225 will be installed upright.Note that the steel pipe support structure 241 is not accompanied by abase plate 223A, a diagonal member 223B or the like, which are shown inFIG. 35, in the inside of the side plane of the building unit 20, whichside plane does not include a floor beam 22 as mentioned just above.Therefore, said steel support 241 is strengthened by being provided withthe implants, which are built into the mat foundation 221, with lockingprotrusions 241A, or by being made with the outside size of the crosssection thereof larger than that of the column foot 21F. When thebuilding unit 20 is built on the base 10, the core 225 of the base 10 isinserted into the hollow portion of the column foot 21F of the column 21of the building unit 20, then the column foot 21F and the core 225 areconnected by two high strength bolts 231, washers 232 and nut 233, whichbolts are configured to penetrate the column foot 21F and the core 225,and are disposed in an above-and-below relation. The core 225 isattached firmly without gap to the inside surface of the column foot 21Fin the beam direction of the building unit 20, which direction isidentical to the axial direction of the high strength bolts. On thecontrary, the core 225 is attached to the inside surface of the columnfoot 21F making a gap in the gable direction of the building unit 20(FIGS. 36A and 36B).

[0233] In the aforementioned base connection structure of the buildingunit 20, a reinforcing piece can be connected to the outside surface ofthe hollow portion of the column foot 21F, in which hollow portion thecore 225 is to be inserted. Said reinforcing piece is similar to theaforementioned joint piece-cum-reinforcing piece 22J, and has a shortlength and protrudes shortly toward the inside of the building unit 20.The reinforcing piece may prevent the reduction of the rigidity of thecolumn 21F as well as the local deformation thereof.

[0234]FIG. 39 shows a modified embodiment of the core 51, which is usedfor the aforementioned steel pipe support member 224 (or steel pipesupport structure 241) of the base 10. As shown in FIGS. 41A and 41B,the core 251 includes two steel additional plates 252A, 252B and twosteel thick plates 253A, 253B held between said additional plates. Theseplates are welded together into a core 251. There are provided boltholes in said two additional plates 252A, 252B, and a gap for bolts topenetrate therethrough between the two thick plates 253A, 253B. A lowerend of the core 251 is inserted into the steel pipe support member 224(or steel pile support structure 241) of the base 10. Then, the steelpipe support member 224 and the core 251 are connected with two highstrength bolts 254, washers and nuts, which bolts are configured topenetrate the steel pipe support member 224 and the core 251, anddisposed in an above-and-below relation. The core 251 is inserted intothe hollow portion of the column foot 21F of the column 21 of thebuilding unit 20, the column foot 21F and the core 251 are connectedwith two high strength bolts 255, washers and nuts, which bolts areconfigured to penetrate the column foot 25F and the core 251, anddisposed in an above-and-below relation. The core 251 is attached firmlywithout gap to the inside surface of both column foot 21F and steel pipesupport member 224 in the beam direction of the building unit 20, whichdirection is along the axial direction of the high strength bolts 254,255. On the contrary, the core 251 makes a gap between the steel pipesupport member 224 as well as the column foot 21F (FIGS. 40A and 40B).

MODIFIED EXAMPLE 3

[0235]FIG. 42 and FIG. 43 show a base connection portion of the buildingunit 20 according to modified embodiment 3, in which a column foot 21Fof one of the columns 21 of the building unit 20, which is disposed at aperipheral corner of a unit building 1, is fixed to a base 260 byrigid-connection.

[0236] As shown in FIG. 43, the base 260 serves to secure a steel baseconstruction 263 thereon with an anchor bolt 262, which is fixed to animplant plate 261A in a concrete mat foundation 261. As shown in FIGS.44A and 44B, the base construction 263 includes a body 263A, which is inthe shape of letter L in a plan view. In three positions in the L-shapedbottom of the body 263, there provided a bolt fixing plate 263Arespectively, which is fixed respectively with an anchor bolt 262 to themat foundation 261. The base construction 263 is provided with aplurality (four pieces for example) of sleeve-like steel mounting pieces264 at the top of the body 263A. The respective mounting pieces 264 areprovided with respective mounting holes 264A, and fixed by welding tothe body 263A. On the other hand, the column foot 21F of the column 20of the building unit 20 is provided with respective receiving pieces 265in a plurality (four positions for example) of positions inside a hollowportion at the lower end thereof. The respective receiving pieces 265 isprovided with a threaded hole 265A, and fixed to the column foot 21F bywelding. Accordingly, when the building unit 20 is built on the base260, the column foot 21F may be made by rigid-connection to the mountingpieces 264 of the base 260 in such a manner that, firstly the mountingholes 264A in the mounting pieces 264 of the base 260 are aligned withthe threaded holes 265A in the receiving pieces 265 of the column foot21F, then high strength bolts 266 are inserted through the mountingholes 264A of the mounting pieces 264 and screwed into the threadedholes 265A of the receiving pieces 265.

[0237]FIGS. 44A and 44B show a modified embodiment of the baseconnection portion of the building unit 20, in which respective columnfoots 21F of two columns of adjacent building units 20 of the unitbuilding 10 are fixed to a base 260 by rigid-connection. The base 260 inFIG. 45 is different from the base 260 in FIG. 42 in that the baseconstruction 263 has a body 263A which is in the shape of letter T in aplan view as shown in FIGS. 46A and 46B. Bolt fixing plates 263B areprovided in the bottom of the T-shaped body 263A at the four positionsrespectively including the intersecting portion like a letter T. Saidbolt fixing plates 263B are fixed to the mat foundation 261 with anchorbolts 262.

[0238]FIG. 47 shows a modified embodiment of the base connection portionof the building unit 20, in which column foots 21F of three columns 21of three building units 20, which are adjacent to each other, of theunit building 10 are fixed to a base 260 by rigid-connection. The base260 in FIG. 47 is different from the base 260 in FIG. 42 in that thebase construction 263 has a body 263A which is in the shape of amodified-cross in a plan view as shown in FIG. 48. Bolt fixing plates263B are provided in the bottom of the modified-cross-shaped body 263Aat the five positions respectively including the intersecting portion ofthe modified cross. Said bolt fixing plates 263B are fixed to the matfoundation 261 with anchor bolts 262.

[0239]FIG. 49 shows a modified embodiment of the base connection portionof the building unit 20, in which column foots 21F of four columns 21 offour building units of the unit building 1, which are disposedadjacently to each other, are fixed to a base 260 by rigid-connection.The base 260 in FIG. 49 is different from the base 260 in FIG. 42 inthat the base construction 263 has a body 263A which is in the shape ofa cross in a plan view as shown in FIG. 50. Bolt fixing plates 263B areprovided in the bottom of the cross-shaped body 263A at the fivepositions respectively including the intersecting portion of the cross.Said bolt fixing plates 263B are fixed to a mat foundation 261 withanchor bolts 262.

[0240] At this time, a guide pin 270 is used for making alignmentbetween the threaded hole 265A of the receiving piece 265 of the column21F and the mounting hole 264A of the mounting piece 264 of the base260. As shown in FIG. 51, the guide pin 270 includes a threaded maleportion 271, which is screwed into the threaded hole 265A of thereceiving piece 265 of the column 21F, a stem 273, which is continuouswith the threaded male portion via incompletely threaded portion 272,and a collar guide portion 274, which is covered around the periphery ofthe stem 273. The guide pin 270 serves to support the collar guideportion 274 between the outer diameter stopper portion 275, which isformed by forging at the front end of the stem 273, and the incompletelythreaded portion 272 for preventing the collar guide portion 274 fromdropping off. The collar guide 274 is formed to have the maximumdiameter being slightly larger than the outer diameters of the threadedmale portion 271 and the incompletely threaded portion 272. Also, thefront end periphery of the collar guide 274 and the front end peripheryof the stem 273 form a tapered and continuous portion 276, so that theguide pin 270 is easily inserted into the mounting hole 264A. The collarguide 274 has a lubricant oil groove 274A in the inside circumferencethereof. In addition to this, the collar guide 274 is provided with aclearance between the inside circumference thereof and the outsidecircumference of the stem 273. By virtue of these features, the collarguide 274 may be rotatable about the stem 273 smoothly. In the top endof the stem 273, there provided a tool engaging hole 273A, which has ashape of a hexagon or the like. The threaded male portion 271 may beattached to or detached from the threaded hole 265A by rotating a toolwhich engages the tool engaging hole 273A.

[0241] Next, the method of connecting the column foot 21F to the base260 will be described hereunder.

[0242] (1) Just before mounting a building unit 20 onto a base 260, asshown in FIG. 52, a threaded male portion 271 of a guide pin 270 isscrewed into a threaded hole 65A of a receiving piece 65 provided in acolumn foot 21A of the column 21 with the aid of a tool engaging hole273A of a guide pin 270.

[0243] (2) The collar guide portion 274 of the guide pin 270, which hasbeen screwed into the threaded hole 265A of the column foot 21F, isinserted into a mounting hole 264A of a mounting piece 264 of the base260 as shown in FIG. 52. Thus, the threaded hole 265A and the mountinghole 264A are completed to be aligned.

[0244] (3) The guide pin 270, which has been screwed to the threadedhole 265A of the column foot 21F, is removed from the threaded hole 265Aand the mounting hole 264A with the aid of the tool engaging hole 273Aof a guide pin 270. Then, a high strength bolt 266, which is insertedthrough the mounting hole 264A, is screwed into the threaded hole 265Aof the column foot 21F and fixed temporarily.

[0245] (4) High strength bolts 266 are inserted through all the mountingholes 264A of the mounting pieces 264 of the base 260, and screwed intothe threaded holes 265A of the column 21F for the full fastening.

[0246] The guide pin 270A shown in FIG. 52 is a modified embodiment ofthe guide pin 270 shown in FIG. 51. Instead of the outer diameterstopper portion 275 of the guide pin 270, an annular groove 275A isprovided in the top portion of the periphery of the stem 273, whichperiphery extends axially and continuously over the whole length of thestem. This annular groove 275A is engaged with a stopper ring 275B. Inthe case of a guide pin 270A, a collar guide 274 is supported betweenthe stop ring 275B provided on the stem 273 and the incomplete threadedportion 272 for preventing the drop off.

[0247] According to the aforementioned base connection structure of thebuilding unit 20, the mounting hole 264A of the mounting piece 264provided in the base 260 is aligned with the threaded hole 265A of thereceiving piece 265 provided in the column foot 21F, then said receivingpiece 265 and said mounting piece 264 are connected together with thehigh strength bolts 266. Thus, the column foot 21F may be made byrigid-connection to the base 260 easily.

[0248] In addition, with the aid of the guide pin 270, the shift betweenthe mounting hole 264A of the mounting piece 264 provided in the base260 and the threaded hole 265A of the receiving piece 265 provided inthe column foot 21F may be corrected, so that the threaded hole 265A ofthe receiving piece 265 and the mounting hole 264A of the mounting piece264 may be aligned easily. As a result, the high strength bolt 266 comesto be inserted through the mounting hole 264A and screwed into thethreaded hole 265A easily.

MODIFIED EXAMPLE 4

[0249]FIG. 54 shows a base connection structure of the modifiedembodiment 4 for the building unit 20, which constitutes the piloties,garage or the like. The framework construction of the building unit 20concerned is not provided with a floor beam 22 in at least one of theside planes as is similar to the building unit 20 of the modifiedembodiment 2. A steel base construction 280 is secured to an implantplate 261A in a mat foundation 261 of a base 260. The base construction280 includes a body 281 which is fixed to the mat foundation 261 withanchor bolts 262, and a steel mounting piece 282 is fixed by welding toan upper portion of the body 281, and the mounting piece 282 is provideda plurality (four for example) of mounting holes 282A. On the otherhand, receiving pieces 265 are provided in a plurality (four forexample) of positions inside a hollow portion in a lower end of a column21F of the column 21 of the building unit 20 as is similar to themodified embodiment 3. The receiving pieces 265 are fixed by welding tothe column foot 21F and provided respective threaded holes 265A.Accordingly, when installing a building unit 20 onto the base 260, themounting hole 282A of the mounting piece 282 of the base 260 is alignedwith the threaded hole 265A of the receiving piece 265 of the column 21Fby using the guide pin 270 of the modified embodiment 3 and the like,and the high strength bolt 266 inserted through the mounting hole 282Aof the mounting piece 282 is screwed into the threaded hole 265A of thereceiving piece 265. Thus, the column 21F is made by rigid-connection tothe mounting piece 282 of the base 260.

[0250] Note that the base construction 280 is not limited to a type inwhich the body 281 is secured with the anchor bolt 262 which is fixed tothe implant plate 261A in the mat foundation 261 of the base 260.Instead, it is possible to provide locking protrusions, such as thelocking protrusions 241A provided on the support 241 in the modifiedembodiment 2, on the implanted portion of the body 281, and the body 281with the locking protrusions may then be implanted into the matfoundation 261.

[0251] As heretofore explained, embodiments of the present inventionhave been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However,the specific configurations of the present invention are not limited tothe described embodiments but those having a modification of the designwithin the range of the present invention are also included in thepresent invention. By way of example, in the present invention, a floorbeam of a building unit may be rigid-connected to a column foot. Abuilding unit is not limited to a framework construction, but may be awall construction. The frameworks for floor as well as ceiling are notlimited to a quadrangle.

[0252] Moreover, with regard to a unit building 1 to which the presentinvention is applied, the construction method I (rigid-connectionbetween base and column) increases the horizontal rigidity of flatbuilding units, the construction method II (connection structure betweenupper and lower beams) improves the horizontal rigidity of the adjacentbuilding units as well as the vertical rigidity of floor beams of anupper floor building unit, the construction method III (connectionstructure between adjacent columns) improves the horizontal rigidity ofadjacent building units and the construction method IV (reinforcingstructure with diagonal member) improves the horizontal rigidity of abuilding unit. For the sake of the selection of a construction methodfrom the construction method I to IV, the priority is given in FIG. 67on the basis of the cost effectiveness and the planning affection withrespect to the type of unit building 1, wherein a first type is a singlerow type including a plurality of building units in a single row eitherin the beam direction or in the gable direction, and a second type is aplural row type including two or more rows of building units either inthe beam direction or in the gable direction.

[0253] With regard to a unit building 1 of single row type, since theconstruction method IV exerts little influence of the wall planning onthe outdoor side, the construction method IV is given the priority. Incase of the rigidity being insufficient, the construction method I isapplied additionally.

[0254] With regard to a unit building 1 of single row type, since theconstruction method IV exerts much influence of the wall planning on theindoor side, the construction method II is given the priority. In caseof the rigidity being insufficient, the construction method I, andfurther the construction method IV are applied additionally.

[0255] With regard to a unit building 1 of plural row type, since theconstruction method III exerts no influence of the wall planning on theoutdoor side, and also it is inexpensive, the construction method III isgiven the priority. In case of the rigidity being insufficient, theconstruction method IV, and further the construction method I areapplied additionally.

[0256] With regard to a unit building 1 of plural row type, all theconstruction method I to IV may be applied to the indoor side, and theconstruction methods II, III, I and IV are given the priority in thisorder.

[0257] Although the invention has been illustrated and described withrespect to several exemplary embodiments thereof, it should beunderstood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and variousother changes, omissions and additions may be made to the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.Therefore, the present invention should not be understood as limited tothe specific embodiment set out above, but should be understood toinclude all possible embodiments which can be embodied within a scopeencompassed and equivalents thereof with respect to the features set outin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A unit building comprising: a column foot; abase; a diagonal member; and at least one building unit fixed to thebase, wherein the building unit has a Rahmen construction comprising acolumn and a beam rigid-connected to each other, the column foot of theunit building is rigid-connected to the base, and the diagonal member isprovided between the column foot of the building unit and a middleportion of a ceiling beam or between a column capital and a middleportion of a floor beam.
 2. The unit building according to claim 1,comprising a plurality of the building units connected to each other,each of the building units having a Rahmen construction wherein a columnand a beam of said each of the building units are rigid-connected toeach other, wherein a floor beam of the unit building in an upper floorand a ceiling beam of the unit building in a lower floor are stackedwith respect to each other, and wherein the respective both ends of thefloor beam and the ceiling beam are connected to each other so as toprevent a substantial shift therebetween.
 3. The unit building accordingto claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of the building unitsare adjacent to each other, each of the at least two building units haspipe columns disposed adjacently across a gap made between the at leasttwo adjacent building units, the adjacent pipe columns are connected toeach other by a bolt, wherein bolt holes are provided coaxially inrespective opposed side walls of the adjacent pipe columns, an operationhole for bolt mounting is provided in a side wall of one of the adjacentpipe columns, the side wall being in a back side of the side wallprovided with the bolt holes, an operation hole for nut mounting isprovided in a side wall of the other of the adjacent pipe columns, theside wall being in the back side of the side wall provided with the boltholes, a holed spacer is provided in a gap formed between the opposedside walls of the respective adjacent pipe columns, the holed spacerbeing disposed coaxially into the bolt holes provided in the side walls,a bolt, being inserted from the operation hole for bolt mountingprovided in one of the pipe columns, is inserted through the bolt holesin both of the adjacent pipe columns, and a nut, being inserted from theoperation hole for nut mounting provided in the other of the adjacentpipe column, is screwed on the bolt.
 4. The unit building according toclaim 2, wherein at least two of the plurality of the building units areadjacent to each other, each of the at least two building units has pipecolumns disposed adjacently across a gap made between the at least twobuilding units, the adjacent pipe columns are connected to each other bya bolt, wherein bolt holes are provided coaxially in respective opposedside walls of the adjacent pipe columns, an operation hole for boltmounting is provided in a side wall of one of the adjacent pipe columns,the side wall being in a back side of the side wall provided with thebolt holes, an operation hole for nut mounting is provided in a sidewall of the other of the adjacent pipe columns, the side wall being inthe back side of the side wall provided with the bolt holes, a holedspacer is provided in a gap formed between the opposed side walls of therespective adjacent pipe columns, the holed spacer being disposedcoaxially into the bolt holes provided in the side walls, a bolt, beinginserted from the operation hole for bolt mounting provided in one ofthe pipe columns, is inserted through the bolt holes in both of theadjacent pipe columns, and a nut, being inserted from the operation holefor nut mounting provided in the other of the adjacent pipe column, isscrewed on the bolt.
 5. A unit building comprising: a base; and aplurality of building units fixed to the base, each building unit of theplurality of building units comprising columns, floor beams, and ceilingbeams connected to each other, wherein a column foot of the buildingunit is rigid-connected to the base, respective predeterminedcolumn-eliminated corner portions of the plurality of the adjacentbuilding units are disposed adjacently to each other at acolumn-eliminated connection portion, the ceiling beams of the adjacentbuilding units form a joint ceiling beam, the ceiling beams beingdisposed in a plane which includes the column-eliminated connectionportions of the adjacent building units and intersecting at thecolumn-eliminated corner portion, and the joint ceiling beams which areopposed to each other are connected to each other at thecolumn-eliminated connection portion of the adjacent building units.